Charles Wesley Quotes

Charles Wesley was an English leader of the Methodist movement, most widely known for writing about 6,500 hymns.Wesley was born in Epworth, Lincolnshire, the son of Anglican cleric and poet Samuel Wesley and his wife Susanna. He was a younger brother of Methodist founder John Wesley and Anglican cleric Samuel Wesley the Younger, and he became the father of musician Samuel Wesley and grandfather of musician Samuel Sebastian Wesley.

Wesley was educated at Oxford where his brothers had also studied, and he formed the "Holy Club" among his fellow students in 1729. John Wesley later joined this group, as did George Whitefield. Charles followed his father and brother into the church in 1735, and he travelled with John to Georgia in America, returning a year later. In 1749, he married Sarah Gwynne, daughter of a Welsh gentleman who had been converted to Methodism by Howell Harris. She accompanied the brothers on their evangelistic journeys throughout Britain until Charles ceased to travel in 1765.

Despite their closeness, Charles and John did not always agree on questions relating to their beliefs. In particular, Charles was strongly opposed to the idea of a breach with the Church of England into which they had been ordained. Wikipedia  

✵ 18. December 1707 – 29. March 1788
Charles Wesley photo
Charles Wesley: 15   quotes 0   likes

Famous Charles Wesley Quotes

“Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven to earth come down,
Fix in us thy humble dwelling,
All thy faithful mercies crown;
Jesu, thou art all compassion,
Pure unbounded love thou art,
Visit us with thy salvation,
Enter every trembling heart.”

Osborn G (1868), "The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley. Vol 4.", London: Wesleyan-Methodist Conference Office. Page 219, at archive.org. https://archive.org/details/poeticalworksofj04wesl

“One family — we dwell in Him,
One church above, beneath,
Though now divided by the stream,
The narrow stream of death.”

Source: Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), P. 150.

“"CHRIST the LORD is ris'n To-day,"
Sons of Men and Angels say,
Raise your Joys and Triumphs high,
Sing ye Heav'ns, and Earth reply.”

Wesley J and Wesley C (1743), "Hymns and Sacred Poems", 4th edition, page 144, at archive.org. https://archive.org/details/hymnsandsacredpo00wesliala
Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739)

“Depth of mercy! — can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God His wrath forbear?
Me, the chief of sinners, spare?”

Source: Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), P. 273.

Charles Wesley Quotes about God

“And can it be, that I should gain
An Int'rest in the Saviour’s blood!
Dy'd He for Me? ---- who caus'd his Pain!
For Me? ---- who him to Death pursu'd!
Amazing Love!   how can it be
That Thou, my GOD shouldst die for Me?”

Wesley J and Wesley C (1743), "Hymns and Sacred Poems", 4th edition, page 78, at archive.org. https://archive.org/details/hymnsandsacredpo00wesliala Wikisource Full text.
Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739)

“God buries his workmen, but carries on his work.”

As quoted in Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (1889). This appears with two quotes of John Wesley on the monument to both men in Westminster Abbey, and is commonly attributed to John.

“Hark how all the welkin rings,
"Glory to the Kings of kings;
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!"”

Joyful, all ye nations, rise.
Join the triumph of the skies.
Universal nature say
"Christ is born today!"
"Hymn for Christmas-Day"; these opening lines were revised by Wesley's co-worker George Whitefield in 1754, along with lesser alterations to subsequent lines, to produce the more familiar "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" (alternate versions at Wikisource):
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born King;
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!"
Joyful, all ye nations, rise.
Join the triumph of the skies.
With th'angelic hosts proclaim
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
Hark! the herald angels sing,
Glory to the new-born King!
Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739)

Charles Wesley Quotes

“Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us thy humble home”

"Hymn for Christmas-Day"
Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739)
Context: Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us thy humble home;
Rise, the woman's conquering Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent's head....
Adam's likeness, Lord, efface;
Stamp thine image in its place.
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in thy love.

“Hail the heavenly Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!”

"Hymn for Christmas-Day"
Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739)
Context: Hail the heavenly Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

“Why should the Devil have all the best tunes?”

Attributed to Wesley in America Over the Water (2004) by Shirley Collins, p. 113, it is earlier attributed to his brother John, in The English Poets: Addison to Blake (1880) by Thomas Humphry Ward, and even earlier to George Whitefield, in The Monthly Review, or, Literary Journal, Vol. 49 (June 1773 - January 1774), p. 430; this has also been reported as a remark made by Rowland Hill, when he arranged an Easter hymn to the tune of "Pretty, Pretty Polly Hopkins, in The Rambler, Vol. 9 (1858), p. 191; as well as to William Booth, who popularized it as an addage in promoting The Salvation Army.
Disputed

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